Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Next Up On Self-Improvement Through Comic Book Ads: Yubiwaza

I just love some of the old classic style ads, and this one is just so amusing. “Yubiwaza,” what’s that?

The word “yubi” translates to the word “finger” and “waza” means “technique.” While the art I teach has numerous “yubiwaza” some of which will drop a large man, I would never even dream of making any claim similar to the ones listed above.

The funny thing about this ad is that this system is actually based on a jujutsu art called Sosiushi Ryu.

According to the 16th inheritor of Sosiushi Ryu, Master Manzo Shitama, a samurai named Masanori Fugatami Hannosuke, a master of Takenouchi-ryu, founded Sosiushi Ryu in 1650. Masanori Hannosuke then taught his martial art system to another samurai named Shitama Matahichi, whose family have been the inheritors of Sosuishi Ryu ever since.

The lady pictured in the ad is Yoshie Imananmi who was the wife of Mr. Nelson Fleming, a Sosuishi Ryu instructor in New Jersey.

It seems Mr. Fleming was talked into writing a book on jujutsu finger techniques, and what was suppose to be a 100-page book turned out to be the 14-page pamphlet offered in the ad above.

Reportedly, Mr. Fleming stated he had no input on the advertisement of this product. However, I couldn’t find any information (even on the official Sosuishi Ryu website) stating that he ever denounced the preposterous claims of this advertisement, or was upset with the publisher for producing this publication instead of his intended work.

I’ve never seen this pamphlet, but I think it would be interesting. All I can say for now is that I hope my wife never gets a copy of it.